The original invention of a handheld pistol and the ultimate design of the pistol was dictated by the mechanics of the human hand and the way a pistol felt to the user. These mechanics do not readily lend themselves to a need to align the barrel and minimum movement of the pistol during use with a point of major support of the user's body in the same way a rifle is used. In general, the normal design of a pistol establishes, during its use, a reactive thrust vector of the barrel at a point appreciably different from the major supporting structure of the hand. The result is that there is a moment generated when the weapon discharges and this moment invariably results in "muzzle jump", e.g., a displacement of the barrel from the original target. This "muzzle jump" sharply lowers the effective rate of fire of a pistol since the displacement of the barrel necessitates resighting the pistol, e.g., the user must return the hand holding the pistol to a point where the pistol is once again aimed in the direction of a target for each subsequent discharge or firing of the pistol.
Modern combat shooting or firing techniques involve the use of both hands to stabilize the weapon both before and after firing wherein one hand holds the pistol by its grip and the other hand grasps the hand or wrist of the hand holding the pistol. Substantial improvement and accuracy over one handed firing methods has proven this method to be of assistance to the shooter. A further advance has been made through the use of optical sighting systems that provide a better sight picture and often allow the user to fire the weapon with both eyes fully open.
The present invention is an apparatus for mounting two pistols together, the barrels of each pistol being in parallel position to each other, with a sight arranged to aim both pistols at the same target. It is apparent that the apparatus provides for the use of both hands of the shooter on the two pistols in a novel and highly effective manner wherein one pistol is held by the grip by one hand and other pistol is held by the grip by the other hand. In a preferred form of the invention, a mechanism is provided for the attachment of two standard pistols to a single sighting device and means for adjusting the impact point of both weapons to the desired single point of a target as defined by the sighting device. Automatic pistols, e.g., the Colt 45 as used by the United States Army can also be easily mounted by use of metal plates replacing one of the grips as is a common practice for mounting optical sights on such weapons. The novel arrangement discussed herein allows the user to effectively counter the muzzle jump as the generated moment finds a reactive force in the hand of the shooter opposite the discharged weapon, especially if the user extends his arms to a straight position after grasping the hand grips as aforesaid.